What do you think?
Rate this book
Houndsley and Catina #1
Houndsley and Catina
"This charming trio of chapters implicitly testifies to the adage that opposites attract." — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Catina wants to be a famous writer. Houndsley is an excellent cook. Catina thinks Houndsley is a wonder. Houndsley thinks Catina is a very good friend. So what should Houndsley say about Catina’s seventy-four-chapter memoir? And can Catina find the right words of comfort for Houndsley after the big cooking contest fiasco? The subtle dance of friendship — from holding your tongue to knowing what to say — is played out in three sweetly humorous tales about an unlikely, likable pair.
Catina wants to be a famous writer. Houndsley is an excellent cook. Catina thinks Houndsley is a wonder. Houndsley thinks Catina is a very good friend. So what should Houndsley say about Catina’s seventy-four-chapter memoir? And can Catina find the right words of comfort for Houndsley after the big cooking contest fiasco? The subtle dance of friendship — from holding your tongue to knowing what to say — is played out in three sweetly humorous tales about an unlikely, likable pair.
40 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2006
About the author
James Howe
203 books464 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pinky and Rex and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award-winning Houndsley and Catina and its sequels. But from the beginning of his career (which came about somewhat by accident after asking himself what kind of vampire a rabbit might make), he has been most interested in letting his imagination take him in whatever direction it cared to. So far, his imagination has led him to picture books, such as I Wish I Were a Butterfly and Brontorina (about a dinosaur who dreams of being a ballerina), mysteries, poetry (in the upcoming Addie on the Inside), and fiction that deals with issues that matter deeply to him. He is especially proud of The Misfits, which inspired national No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org) and its sequel Totally Joe. He does not know where his imagination will take him in the next thirty-plus years, but he is looking forward to finding out.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pinky and Rex and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award-winning Houndsley and Catina and its sequels. But from the beginning of his career (which came about somewhat by accident after asking himself what kind of vampire a rabbit might make), he has been most interested in letting his imagination take him in whatever direction it cared to. So far, his imagination has led him to picture books, such as I Wish I Were a Butterfly and Brontorina (about a dinosaur who dreams of being a ballerina), mysteries, poetry (in the upcoming Addie on the Inside), and fiction that deals with issues that matter deeply to him. He is especially proud of The Misfits, which inspired national No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org) and its sequel Totally Joe. He does not know where his imagination will take him in the next thirty-plus years, but he is looking forward to finding out.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
March 20, 2018
This is a story about two very good friends. There are 3 chapters, one about each friend and then the concluding chapter about both.
Catina wants to be a famous writer. She finishes a book and has Houndsley read it. Houdsley is speechless it is so bad. Catina gets Houndsley to enter a cooking contest because he loves to cook and is so good at it. Houndsley gets nervous and isn't able to do well. In the end they decide being friends is the most important thing and they appreciate each other.
It was a sweet story and I do like the friendship between the 2 characters. James Howe does a good job here. This is a nice story for a beginning reader.
Catina wants to be a famous writer. She finishes a book and has Houndsley read it. Houdsley is speechless it is so bad. Catina gets Houndsley to enter a cooking contest because he loves to cook and is so good at it. Houndsley gets nervous and isn't able to do well. In the end they decide being friends is the most important thing and they appreciate each other.
It was a sweet story and I do like the friendship between the 2 characters. James Howe does a good job here. This is a nice story for a beginning reader.
October 29, 2019
This is a lovely story about a friendship between a dog and a cat. It’s for early readers and is a chapter book (with 3 chapters.) It has some nice things to say about friendship, honesty, tact, ambition, following your heart’s desires, and simple pleasures.
October 28, 2019
Having recently noticed an online friend giving five-star ratings to some of the later books in this series, I thought I had better track down the first, and see what I was missing. Divided into three mini-chapters, this early-reader follows the story of best friends Houndsley the dog, and Catina the cat. In The Writer, Houndsley is dismayed to discover that Catina's book - Life Through the Eyes of a Cat - isn't any good, and must find a way to be truthful, while avoiding any hurt feelings. In Cooking Contest, Catina encourages Houndsley to enter a culinary competition, and remains supportive and positive when he forgets some very basic ingredients. And finally, in Fireflies, the two friends reflect upon their experiences, and discover that they already have something much more valuable than acclaim: each other.
The early reader genre boasts many superb friendship tales, from Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad series to James Marshall's George and Martha books. But while Howe's gentle, warm-hearted narrative is quite pleasing, and Canadian artist Marie-Loise Gay's watercolor and pencil illustrations are charming, Houndsley and Catina didn't strike me as an especially brilliant example of the type. Still, I think the target audience will appreciate it, and an engaging, well-illustrated early-reader series is always a good thing!
The early reader genre boasts many superb friendship tales, from Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad series to James Marshall's George and Martha books. But while Howe's gentle, warm-hearted narrative is quite pleasing, and Canadian artist Marie-Loise Gay's watercolor and pencil illustrations are charming, Houndsley and Catina didn't strike me as an especially brilliant example of the type. Still, I think the target audience will appreciate it, and an engaging, well-illustrated early-reader series is always a good thing!
November 6, 2009
Houndsley and Catina is an early reader chapter book. The story is broken down into three chapters with colorful pictures and simple text that introduces new readers to chapter books. Houndsley and Catina are best friends, Catina is writing a books but it isn't very good because she doesn't really like to write. Houndsley is a wonderful cook but when he enters a cooking contest he gets nervous and doesn't have any fun. The friend realize they should do something because they enjoy and love it not because it will make them famous.
I really like the message and story in this book. It feels like the book is actually saying something unlike many other early readers which just feel like words on a page. The watercolor illustrations are wonderfully cozy and while they are minimal they add just enough to the story to make it engaging. I love the attitude the illustrations add to Catina and Houndsley, they are so interesting! The Houndsley and Catina series of books with their engaging stories and positive message are a great bridge for early readers between picture books and juvenile chapter books.
I really like the message and story in this book. It feels like the book is actually saying something unlike many other early readers which just feel like words on a page. The watercolor illustrations are wonderfully cozy and while they are minimal they add just enough to the story to make it engaging. I love the attitude the illustrations add to Catina and Houndsley, they are so interesting! The Houndsley and Catina series of books with their engaging stories and positive message are a great bridge for early readers between picture books and juvenile chapter books.
May 15, 2009
Cute enough little story about friendship and doing things because you enjoy it, not to earn prizes or recognition. A bit heavy on the message for my taste. Love their names! Cute illustrations.
July 26, 2019
“I want to be a famous writer,” she went on, “but I do not like to write.”...
“I know something you are good at already,” said Houndsley, “although you will never be famous for it.”
“What?”
“Being my friend.”
“I know something you are good at already,” said Houndsley, “although you will never be famous for it.”
“What?”
“Being my friend.”
October 25, 2015
On the Houndsley and Catina book jacket, author James Howe writes that his interest in creating this series stemmed in part from his daughter's fondness for the Frog and Toad books when she was young. I can certainly see a number of similarities between Houndsley and Catina and their famed amphibious counterparts, and I'm very happy that it was James Howe, one of the best authors I've ever read, who chose to take on this project. I'm completely confident that he can create a fantastic series of books featuring these characters, just as he did in Pinky and Rex, and I can hardly wait to read them.
Catina is an ambitious young feline. She knows that it's fame and fortune she's gunning for in life, and attaining those goals is more important to her than the exact way that she ends up going about it. For now, she has focused her sights on writing, so she's fairly bursting with excitement when her friend Houndsley asks to read the book that she is in the process of creating. Little does he know that her story is a memoir, and a seventy-four chapter one, at that! As he reads the manuscript, Houndsley observes that Catina's thoughts are all over the place, and she seems to find it difficult to stick to one topic for long enough to say anything of substance. But how is he to tell her that she's not as good at writing as she wants to be, and her plan to ascend to stardom as the next Jean Fritz probably isn't going to work? After all, Houndsley is a very polite dog, and he has no desire to punch holes in his best friend's ambitions.
Kind and soft-spoken, Houndsley is also a gifted cook, able to tailor the meals he makes to perfectly suit even the finicky Catina. Houndsley is content just to cook for his friends and make them happy, but Catina has other plans for her talented pal, and convinces Houndsley to enter a cooking contest that will air on television. Some people just aren't meant for the spotlight, though. When Houndsley isn't able to perform his best with the stage lights at their brightest, he takes it hard, and decides that there's no joy left for him in cooking. But there are still his friends to cook for, after all. What does it matter that the whole world doesn't know he's a fabulous artiste in the kitchen, as long as his friends appreciate his culinary masterpieces? There are still successes to be had even following a major failure.
What James Howe expresses most effectively in this book, ultimately, is that so much of who Houndsley and Catina are as individuals is tied in with who they are to each other, and there's no reason to run away or hide from that. To be a friend in this world can be the most rewarding experience imaginable, even if no one else can understand the strength of the bond or comprehend why a particular set of two people chose each other. The sweetness of life lived together can be keenly felt on one special summer night as Houndsley and Catina watch the fireflies floating around the yard beneath the quiet, star-studded sky. The two friends know that they will still be friends tomorrow, and the next day, and for as long after that as can be. Sometimes, what we already have is even nicer than what we really, really want.
I would give two and a half stars to Houndsley and Catina. James Howe is good at bringing honest emotion to even the shortest of stories, and this book is an excellent example of that. Readers of any age will enjoy Houndsley and Catina, so I recommend it to anyone and everyone. I believe that the series may be a classic in the making.
Catina is an ambitious young feline. She knows that it's fame and fortune she's gunning for in life, and attaining those goals is more important to her than the exact way that she ends up going about it. For now, she has focused her sights on writing, so she's fairly bursting with excitement when her friend Houndsley asks to read the book that she is in the process of creating. Little does he know that her story is a memoir, and a seventy-four chapter one, at that! As he reads the manuscript, Houndsley observes that Catina's thoughts are all over the place, and she seems to find it difficult to stick to one topic for long enough to say anything of substance. But how is he to tell her that she's not as good at writing as she wants to be, and her plan to ascend to stardom as the next Jean Fritz probably isn't going to work? After all, Houndsley is a very polite dog, and he has no desire to punch holes in his best friend's ambitions.
Kind and soft-spoken, Houndsley is also a gifted cook, able to tailor the meals he makes to perfectly suit even the finicky Catina. Houndsley is content just to cook for his friends and make them happy, but Catina has other plans for her talented pal, and convinces Houndsley to enter a cooking contest that will air on television. Some people just aren't meant for the spotlight, though. When Houndsley isn't able to perform his best with the stage lights at their brightest, he takes it hard, and decides that there's no joy left for him in cooking. But there are still his friends to cook for, after all. What does it matter that the whole world doesn't know he's a fabulous artiste in the kitchen, as long as his friends appreciate his culinary masterpieces? There are still successes to be had even following a major failure.
What James Howe expresses most effectively in this book, ultimately, is that so much of who Houndsley and Catina are as individuals is tied in with who they are to each other, and there's no reason to run away or hide from that. To be a friend in this world can be the most rewarding experience imaginable, even if no one else can understand the strength of the bond or comprehend why a particular set of two people chose each other. The sweetness of life lived together can be keenly felt on one special summer night as Houndsley and Catina watch the fireflies floating around the yard beneath the quiet, star-studded sky. The two friends know that they will still be friends tomorrow, and the next day, and for as long after that as can be. Sometimes, what we already have is even nicer than what we really, really want.
I would give two and a half stars to Houndsley and Catina. James Howe is good at bringing honest emotion to even the shortest of stories, and this book is an excellent example of that. Readers of any age will enjoy Houndsley and Catina, so I recommend it to anyone and everyone. I believe that the series may be a classic in the making.
June 4, 2008
CIP: "Houndsley and Catina run into trouble when they decide to prove that they are the best at cooking and writing, respectively."
Maggie: Best friends Houndsley and Catina each yearn for a talent that will set them apart from others, only to find that it makes their normally fun activities feel like more work than they are worth. A sweet and humorous story for beginning readers accompanied by Marie-Louise Gay's delightful illustration, this book is sure to be a hit with children in 1st and 2nd grades.
PW: "The importance of friendship and of appreciating one's true talents lay at the heart of this appealing collaboration introducing a canine-feline pair. Howe's (Bunnicula) breezy narrative initially reveals Catina hard at work on her book, Life Through the Eyes of a Cat, which she hopes will launch her career as a famous, prize-winning author. When Houndsley reads the opus, he realizes that his best friend is "a terrible writer," yet tactfully keeps his opinion to himself ("I am at a loss for words," he tells her). In the following story, Houndsley enthusiastically whips up an appetizing feast for Catina and another pal. Declaring, "You could be famous!" Catina encourages him to enter a cooking contest and he does—with comically disastrous results. The final entry neatly brings resolution with a true confessions session that stresses the importance of friendship. Gay's charming watercolor, pencil and collage art exudes a spontaneous quality for the feline's environs and an orderliness for the pooch. Catina's dimly lit den wordlessly suggests that her heart is not in her authorial pursuits, while Houndsley's airy golden kitchen practically emits an appetizing aroma and his passion for cooking. This charming trio of chapters implicitly testifies to the adage that opposites attract. Ages 5-7."
BL: "Gr. 2-4, younger for reading aloud. Catina (a cat) and Houndsley (you guessed it, a dog) are best friends, and they encourage each other as best friends do. Houndsley is mortified when he reads his friend's novel-in-progress, and realizes that Catina has little writing talent. “I'm at a loss for words,” he finally musters, satisfying Catina, who seems focused on literary prizes and fame instead of the actual writing. Then Catina encourages Houndsley to enter a cooking competition, and he's so nervous that he fouls the recipe and endures the judges' mockery. Together the friends confess that, rather than simply enjoying their activities, they secretly wanted to become famous. This early chapter book, while emphasizing doing what you love, not what will bring acknowledgment, is heavy-handed. But it will still hit home with kids just learning about their own particular talents and passions, and the lively, brisk writing is wonderfully extended in Gay's airy watercolor-and-pencil illustrations, which keep the focus on the caring friends."
Maggie: Best friends Houndsley and Catina each yearn for a talent that will set them apart from others, only to find that it makes their normally fun activities feel like more work than they are worth. A sweet and humorous story for beginning readers accompanied by Marie-Louise Gay's delightful illustration, this book is sure to be a hit with children in 1st and 2nd grades.
PW: "The importance of friendship and of appreciating one's true talents lay at the heart of this appealing collaboration introducing a canine-feline pair. Howe's (Bunnicula) breezy narrative initially reveals Catina hard at work on her book, Life Through the Eyes of a Cat, which she hopes will launch her career as a famous, prize-winning author. When Houndsley reads the opus, he realizes that his best friend is "a terrible writer," yet tactfully keeps his opinion to himself ("I am at a loss for words," he tells her). In the following story, Houndsley enthusiastically whips up an appetizing feast for Catina and another pal. Declaring, "You could be famous!" Catina encourages him to enter a cooking contest and he does—with comically disastrous results. The final entry neatly brings resolution with a true confessions session that stresses the importance of friendship. Gay's charming watercolor, pencil and collage art exudes a spontaneous quality for the feline's environs and an orderliness for the pooch. Catina's dimly lit den wordlessly suggests that her heart is not in her authorial pursuits, while Houndsley's airy golden kitchen practically emits an appetizing aroma and his passion for cooking. This charming trio of chapters implicitly testifies to the adage that opposites attract. Ages 5-7."
BL: "Gr. 2-4, younger for reading aloud. Catina (a cat) and Houndsley (you guessed it, a dog) are best friends, and they encourage each other as best friends do. Houndsley is mortified when he reads his friend's novel-in-progress, and realizes that Catina has little writing talent. “I'm at a loss for words,” he finally musters, satisfying Catina, who seems focused on literary prizes and fame instead of the actual writing. Then Catina encourages Houndsley to enter a cooking competition, and he's so nervous that he fouls the recipe and endures the judges' mockery. Together the friends confess that, rather than simply enjoying their activities, they secretly wanted to become famous. This early chapter book, while emphasizing doing what you love, not what will bring acknowledgment, is heavy-handed. But it will still hit home with kids just learning about their own particular talents and passions, and the lively, brisk writing is wonderfully extended in Gay's airy watercolor-and-pencil illustrations, which keep the focus on the caring friends."
February 22, 2018
This was okay. I really liked the illustrations, but the story was kind of meh. I loved the dog's character, but I felt like the cat was so full of herself. I didn't like how the cat kept talking about herself and basically ignoring the dog at the beginning of the story. If the story flowed better I would have liked it a lot more, especially since this is the first book of Houndsley and Catina. I don't really want to read more after this one. The names are clever though.
July 8, 2011
Howe, James. (2006). Houndsley and Catina. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press.
Annotation: For children in kindergarten to second grade. Marie-Louise Gay who uses pencil and bright watercolors to bring this story to life illustrates this book. The book is a collection of three stories, similar in style and format in Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad Series. Houndsley, the dog, and Catina, the cat, help each other as the struggle to become famous. Catina wants to be a writer, but does not like to write, and Houndsley loves to cook for fun, but not to be the best. The pair’s friendship is easy for children to relate to, and the story is easy to read and builds confidence in reading.
Personal Reaction: I like this book because the illustrations are fun and the stories are applicable to real-life and humorous, which children enjoy. Additionally, the book can help to teach children what is socially acceptable and how they show, interact appropriately with their peers.
Annotation: For children in kindergarten to second grade. Marie-Louise Gay who uses pencil and bright watercolors to bring this story to life illustrates this book. The book is a collection of three stories, similar in style and format in Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad Series. Houndsley, the dog, and Catina, the cat, help each other as the struggle to become famous. Catina wants to be a writer, but does not like to write, and Houndsley loves to cook for fun, but not to be the best. The pair’s friendship is easy for children to relate to, and the story is easy to read and builds confidence in reading.
Personal Reaction: I like this book because the illustrations are fun and the stories are applicable to real-life and humorous, which children enjoy. Additionally, the book can help to teach children what is socially acceptable and how they show, interact appropriately with their peers.
November 19, 2012
I would categorize this as a later stage easy reader chapter book. It is divided into three chapters. The first is about Catina, who has written a 74 chapter book but her friend Houndsley is afraid to tell her that it is no good, so he just tells her that it left him speechless. The second chapter is about how amazing Houndsley is at cooking, so his friends Catina and Bert encourage him to enter a cooking contest, but everything goes wrong. Houndsley is very soft spoken, while Catina is the louder more energetic of the two. The third chapter is about how nervous Houndsley got at the cooking competition and how Catina wants to be a writer but hates writing, so they decide to find something they are both good at, which for the moment is just being with each other and watching fireflies. The book has very adorable illustrations and I can't wait to read the next book in the series to my son! Recommended for ages 3-7, 4 stars.
January 21, 2011
This is an interesting story about two friends and the challenges they face with their hobbies. The first two chapters don't have too much to do with one another, but the two separate stories come together in the third and final chapter.
The story has a metaphysical theme and encourages children to find something they really enjoy and are passionate about. It offers practical advice that would benefit anyone: "First, I will find something I like to do. Then I will do it and do it and do it until I am very good at it. And then I might be famous." OK, well the famous part might not ever come, but it's a good idea to try expend our efforts on things we like to do and find something, whether it be a job or hobby, that ignites our passion. Life is too short to be unhappy.
Our favorite quote: "Being your friend is better than being famous."
The story has a metaphysical theme and encourages children to find something they really enjoy and are passionate about. It offers practical advice that would benefit anyone: "First, I will find something I like to do. Then I will do it and do it and do it until I am very good at it. And then I might be famous." OK, well the famous part might not ever come, but it's a good idea to try expend our efforts on things we like to do and find something, whether it be a job or hobby, that ignites our passion. Life is too short to be unhappy.
Our favorite quote: "Being your friend is better than being famous."
July 2, 2011
Houndsley and Catina
Written by James Howe
Illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
2006 Candlewick Press
ISBN: 9781428733916
Genre: Easy Reader
Level: 1-3
Houndsley and Catina are good friends, but when Catina wants to become a famous writer, Houndsley does not know how respond. Catina may not be good at writing, but Houndsley is good at cooking and decides to enter a cooking contest. He gets so nervous about trying to be the best. Houndsley and Catina discover that being famous or being the best is not what it's all about. These two sweet characters teach us to to what you love! Love what you do!
Written by James Howe
Illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
2006 Candlewick Press
ISBN: 9781428733916
Genre: Easy Reader
Level: 1-3
Houndsley and Catina are good friends, but when Catina wants to become a famous writer, Houndsley does not know how respond. Catina may not be good at writing, but Houndsley is good at cooking and decides to enter a cooking contest. He gets so nervous about trying to be the best. Houndsley and Catina discover that being famous or being the best is not what it's all about. These two sweet characters teach us to to what you love! Love what you do!
December 26, 2015
Another Houndsely and Catina book. I love Houndsley's quiet ways that compliment Catina's enthusiastic ways just perfectly!
A wonderful bedtime book or anytime book really! The pictures are cute, kind of remind me of the old Suzy Zoo characters.
This book is broke down in three chapters, the first chapter focuses on Catina and her writing and the second on Houndsley and his cooking and the third focuses on doing something and enjoying it and if you don't enjoy it there isn't much point in doing it. I like morally stories and this one fits the bill but not in a preachy way.
Love these characters!
A wonderful bedtime book or anytime book really! The pictures are cute, kind of remind me of the old Suzy Zoo characters.
This book is broke down in three chapters, the first chapter focuses on Catina and her writing and the second on Houndsley and his cooking and the third focuses on doing something and enjoying it and if you don't enjoy it there isn't much point in doing it. I like morally stories and this one fits the bill but not in a preachy way.
Love these characters!
November 12, 2007
Houndsley and Catina, a dog and a cat, are best friends. Soft-spoken Houndsley loves to cook for his friends, but when he enters a cooking contest he gets nervous and his chili doesn't turn out well. Catina wants to be a famous writer, but her book isn't very good and she doesn't much like writing. In the end, Houndsley and Catina find out that doing what you love is its own reward, and that friends are better than fame any day. This chapter book is short enough to read aloud, and the illustrations are fun and interesting. Beginning readers should also enjoy it.
April 28, 2012
A cute book by the author of Bunnicula, about two friends and their talents. Both want to be famous for their work (writing and cooking) but are a little misguided as to why. In the end, both discover that doing things they like just because they like them is okay. The adorable pictures are very expressive; you can see Catina's bubbly enthusiasm and Houndsley's caution in every illustration.
A good book about friendship and being satisfied, divided into three "chapters" which can be read together for the whole story or one at a time for shorter attention spans.
A good book about friendship and being satisfied, divided into three "chapters" which can be read together for the whole story or one at a time for shorter attention spans.
February 17, 2013
This book tells the story of Houndsley and Catina in three chapters. Catina wants to be a famous writer, but Houndsley doesn't want to tell her she's not very good. He also loves cooking and gets the chance to enter a competition where things don't go quite as he expected. The 2 characters discover the one thing they are really good at is being friends. A really cute book and a great way to get younger readers into chapter books.
September 19, 2023
Oh, how I love Houndsley and Catina! In fact, kind Houndsley and anxious Catina could be my husband and I! Sweet story about a wonderful friendship between rather different people, and the illustrations are perfect! We'd read all Howe's Bunnicula books many years ago, and these new books are definitely on my Must Buy list. They teach good lessons about friendship without ever being preachy. I wish I had small children again to read these books to.
July 29, 2017
Houndsley and Catina are friend that support each other in their endevors. Overall not a bad story.
Houndsley is portrayed as a shy boy dog. I don't mind if characters are shy but this took to making him sound effeminate "Houndsley said in his soft as a rose petal voice." Comes across to me as propaganda. We need our boys/men to be men not a bunch of pansies. Sure boys can be shy and soft spoken but really soft as a rose petal is a little to much.
Houndsley is portrayed as a shy boy dog. I don't mind if characters are shy but this took to making him sound effeminate "Houndsley said in his soft as a rose petal voice." Comes across to me as propaganda. We need our boys/men to be men not a bunch of pansies. Sure boys can be shy and soft spoken but really soft as a rose petal is a little to much.
January 15, 2009
Houndsley (a dog) and Catina (a cat) are unlikely friends. Catina likes the spotlight while Houndsley is a bit shy, but that just enhances their friendship. This was an okay story to read to the elementary students, it had a good message about friends and finding your own personal talents. The students voted as follows; really liked=91, just okay=21, didn't like=29.
October 4, 2008
This is a fine book about a cat and dog who are friends. I read it because it is nominated for a 2009 Beehive award. It is a level 2 or 3 book, and as such is hard to compare to Candy Shop Wars and a couple others that are in the same nomination category. As a side note, my 5 year old said this book was, "weird."
January 28, 2009
I'm not sure what to rate this - as I was reading the first two chapters, I wasn't really liking it, even though I thought the illustrations were cute. I liked the last chapter and that changed my feelings about the rest of the book. I guess time will tell if this becomes one of those books I want to revisit and read to my youngest or if it's one of those "once is enough" kind of books.
Read
April 23, 2009At first I didn't think any of the stories were going to be resolved but they were in the end. I think that this was a cute book, but I think that it could have been a little bit better written. I have a hard time judging books as you can see. I do think that this would be a good book for students who want to read a chapter book but are just beginning their reading of longer stories.
March 16, 2010
Catina is writing a 74-chapter novel entitled Life Through the Eyes of a Cat. Houndsley enters a high-stakes cooking contest. When things don’t go as planned, they realize they each have a more important talent: being a great friend. The soft, plump watercolor shapes make the two even more loveable.
August 17, 2008
I am absolutely in love with Houndsley the gentle dog and his sweet best friend Catina. These books are gentle, sweet, funny, and filled with fun lessons about friendship. Great books for either boys or girls, young or old. I am loving every one of them!
January 8, 2009
Very good easy reader selection. James Howe (author of Bunnicula, The Celery Stalks at Midnight, etc) does a wonderful job depicting the special and natural friendship shared by Houndsley and Catina.
February 15, 2009
I am pretty sure that I have read this book before but I just do not remember when that was. It is a sweet book about friends. It reminds me of a slightly more modern version of George and Martha. I like how human these characters are and enjoy just how sweet their stories end up being. Grades 1+
March 23, 2009
This is a book about friendship. After reading it my daughter started writing a book about our friendship!! It reminded me some of Frog and Toad. A simple story of friendship that makes me cheesy about my good friends. I've put the rest in this series on hold.
March 9, 2012
An early chapter book about finding your passion and talents. Very well written and I've always enjoyed Marie-Loiuse Gay's illustrations in her own books and now here. We will have to read more of this series.
Read
February 26, 2017Cute book! This would be a good book to keep in the classroom for when students begin to reach chapter books. Also, this would be a good mentor text when discussing sequence of events with older students.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews